St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-09-04

I'll y Is T.. i nave
given considerable attention to the sub
ject at one time and another. but the
matter came up for serious considera-
ton something over two years ago, when
L was married. l appreciated the fact
that a woman has her little expenses as
well as man, and of course that is per-
fectly right and proper, but at first I
felt something of the same sort of en-
barrassment about offering money that
L suppose woman feels about asking
Tor It,. On the other hand, l knew in
Stlnctiyely that before my newly-made
bride would ask me for funds she would
go without many little luxuries, and
perhaps necessities, the want of which
could not be anticipated by even
the most thoughtful and devoted
bridegroom. So hit upon the scheme
OF taking occasional private looks at my
Wlfe'S pOcketboOk, and whenever the
treasury appeared rather low | quietly
repleniShed it; but have since learned
that women regard their pocketbooks as
kind of sacred property, not only be-
cause they don't like to have a fellow
know every time they spend 10 cents
for rosebud Or quarter for caramels,
but because they oftentimes stuff their
purses half full of private memoranda
and items of interest to females only. L
gradually perceived all this and one day
determined to make a clean breast of
the whole matter; and did.
limited about the prOpriety of having
some sort Of system about these con-
+ founded money matters. perhaps an al
lowance or something of that kind, and
the result was like uncorking cham.
payne bottle. In the next fifteen min.
uteS
RECEIVED OPINIONS
and infnrrpo tinr, TO e.
for reflection for considerable portion
of my natural life. l wonder whether
women discuss these things together,
or how the deuce they think I'D so
many overwhelming arguments in favor
of allowances. This is part of what
my sensible little wife told me: Most
every woman likes to dress nicely and
have pretty things, and sometimes they
want to buy flowers and candy and ice
cream and soda water and-well, lots of
little things. Now l like all those
things just as much as anybody does,
and if l can have them l want them; if
can't I'll make up my mind to go with
out. l never want you to say Eve been
eXtravagant or that my expenses have
hurt your business. Give me whatever
regular allowance you can afford and I
will make 1t suffice. You can increase
it when you feel you can afford to, or
you can reduce it if it becomes neceS-
Sary. l can spend 5000 year or can
cl0the myself on IS month-only let
me know what l can depend on.
''Well, thought the matter over, and
FIJI tell you what l concluded to do.
My business was new, and we could
only afford to live quietly and modeStly.
| deducted the estimated cost of our or
binary expenses from the total amount
I felt we could afford to spend during
the year, and the remainder gave me
the sum we could use for clothes and
incidentalS. This sum / halved-one.
half for my wife and one-half for me-
Then | divided my wife'S share into
twelve equal parts, and on the first day
of each month laid her allowance on
her dressing table, and l can assure you
the result was highly satisfactory tG
both of us. In the first place, never
financial needs, and L know to a cent
what she spendS-Or, at least, what she
has to spend-and / know she enjoys
the independence; she is certainly en-,
titled to it. She knows exactly what
she can depend upon, and
MAKES HER CALCULATIONS
accordingly, but the best of it is that
cash is paid for everything-no unex-
pectedly large bills come in to bother
Hle. II was surprise 10 me TO see how
much she could do with her allowance.
She made every dollar go long ways.
At the end of the first year my business
had begun to be more profitable, and as
wanted my wife to share my prosper
ity doubled her allowance. / supposed
she would buy more new dresses and
bonnets and other things, but she did
nothing of the sort. On the contrary
she did not increase her personal ex-
penses one penny, but has so far put
every dollar of her extra allowance into
our homeopathy pieces of furniture,
rugs and other articles for use and orna-
ment. We have now had two years
experience with the monthly allowance
scheme and can assure you l am
most ardent advocate of the system. I
not only believe that it is right and Just
that wife should have her indepenent
allowance, but think it is the most sat
isfactOry method for both parties, and
several young married men who have
adopted the system at my suggestion
have assured me of the happy results of
a foxu fbo, fr;o